20.03.2016
Our lives, says Martin Luther King, Jr., begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. If we choose to be blind to the emerging new capital city in Ebonyi State, we may betray our prejudice but when we begin to think that all our expectations should be measured only by urban transformation we are betraying our narrow mindedness. It is not about comparison but the visible is that Engr. Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State has done really well in urban transformation in the last few months. That he achieved this within shortest time is something we commend him for doing and can only wish that the emerging “City of David” be replicated in the Macedonias of Ebonyi rural dwellings and vicissitudes of life.
The irresponsibility of most persons in leadership in Nigeria has meant that our mood towards government is most times critical and cynical. History approves of such distrust. For instance; when we come face to face with ghastly government’s recklessness, neglect, atrocities, abuse of human rights, and intimidations, we are always appalled and want to ask: “but what has happened to our humanity that our leaders have become inhuman?” We have been equally appalled by the gross violations of human rights in many African countries and recently Buhari Nigeria, all in the name of government.
The inability of Nigerian leaders to make serious impact on the lives of the people or transform the physical landscape is just as glaring as it has become a habit. The 6 years of Jonathan in office brought nothing to Ndigbo despite their ubiquitous presence in the corridor of power. The Enugu-Port Harcourt highway has remained a deathtrap. The Enugu-Onitsha expressway has closed, a sorrow which no one would wish to rehearse here. The 2nd Niger Bridge which was one glimmer of hope later turned into a dupe.
Most cities in the Southeast have remained rustic and abandoned with exception of Enugu.
Aba was turned into incinerator and the remaining part submerged in water while Theodore Orji sat on his throne for eight years. Though he is gone his ghost hovers as he sits at the Senate, wife in the House of Representatives, and son in the State House of Assembly. Rochas Okorocha succeeded in raping Imo with no policy after 5 years. The level of madness became obvious when he sacked workers in order to test-run minimum wage reduction on behalf of other governors.
Beyond Southeast, Edo is at standstill while Oshomhole’s interest is a made-in-Cape Verde wife. Ogun is off and on in owing workers because it needed to sponsor the APC campaign. At Kano, El- Rufai’s clear policy is banning religious preaching. Rivers has been comedians’ destination as two clowns, Amechi and Wike, entertain people. In Enugu, the priority of Ugwuanyi-led government is to buy exotic cars for the State executives, the House of Assembly members and the local government chieftains.
Ebonyi may have reneged on its campaign promise to workers, though many reasons may be adduced; it may have withdrawn support for students on foreign universities giving current economic reality; it may be building flyovers when many people are hungry; it may have allocated disturbing sum of N250 million to fight Lassa fever; but those are not the only tales that can be told of the administration of Engr. Dave Umahi. The administration has noble sides which have really amazed us. Nothing can detract the intention of the administration to walk itself into people’s admiration.
Often people differ on the meaning of dividends of democracy. Is it about littering gigantic projects that are scarcely completed or initiating and completing cosmetic projects mostly executed with cheap and substandard materials which eventually pose as death traps for the people they are meant to alleviate their plight? Is it about embarking on white elephant projects which though sometimes are completed and equipped with state-of-the arts-facilities hardly bear on the socio-economic lives of the people? We have seen administration after administration and how each worked tried to implement its own understanding of people’s needs.
It looks smarter that for Nigerian democracy to be seen as responsive, it must not put its hands in everything at a time and finishing none. It must prioritize its concerns reflecting its financial strength. This is what Dave Umahi adopted and the strategy is working. The result is that his administration can beat its chest and say that within the last months it has been able to mop up the town.
One who has been a regular visitor to Ebonyi or who has been to Abakaliki in recent time will agree that something is happening. The residents admit that under Engr. Dave, urban is smiling in beauty. While critics challenge him in other areas, they do not ignore the consistent effort to transform the state capital. The approach has been rigorous and steady, the zeal has remained undiminished. If you want to know the meaning of a one point agendum, the answer is not in political dictionary. All you need is pay a visit to Abakaliki and go back. What you see is what leadership ought to be in every area not just in urban revamping, governance ought to change our good to better and our better to best.
Often people argue that recoating of roads is not enough and challenge the administration to make a shift to full scale road construction. However, when one recalls the former state of Gunning Road, New Market Road, Hossana Park and environs, the Ogoja Road, Nkwogu, Udemezue, Uga Street Road, Hilltop Road, Nkaliki Road, Udensi Road, Onwe Road, among others, we cannot but swallow prejudice and give to Dave the credit he deserves. Someone may be interested in knowing how much he has claimed in building them. However, if Nigerian leaders have been delivering good jobs and claiming huge amount we wouldn’t have been much bothered. But we have a situation where huge among is invested in power to give us darkness; and the circle continues.
Engr. Dave Umahi has one motive that is clear and primary to him. He is looking for a city of his own taste with our taxpayers’ money. He has a vision of a home not littered with bad roads, where the designer, the approver and builder is King David. The governor wants to build a capital city he can be proud of; and if we go by what has become customary, immortalizing self while in office, then that city will soon be named ‘The City of David”.
Three things are worth noting. One is speed. Just, barely nine months in office the shape of that city is beginning to emerge, Abakaliki Capital City can no longer be taken for granted. Next is the quality. This is where I give kudos to the Commissioner for Works. He has proved to know his job too well. His eyes do not escape areas that can mar the job. He is sensitive to erosion encroachment and with cementing of pedestrian routes and erodible roadsides the jobs look healthy to last. The idea of replacing flowers with interlocking might have been criticized but it has surely improved neatness. Thirdly, the work is well spread. Every street is benefitting. Churches with bad roads have either received or are receiving attention. We cannot but expect that all churches be brought into the equation.
What is happening is a sure proof that if elected leaders can exercise restraints, they can allow democracy to develop legs. It is not good for a leader elected by people to pilot their destiny, toy with the sacred mandate and squander public trust.
As the administration rides high in urban performance, people’s expectations are not less. Many Ebonyians live on less than $1 a week. Secondly, the capital city may be neat but only 5 percent of the population are urban dwellers. What is good for the goose is also good for the gander. What we have done in roads should also be done in economic empowerment and education.
